Bike theft is all too common. Most bike theft I am aware of occurs because a cheap lock or no lock was used. What's a cheap lock? Cable locks are nearly useless. They are easily cut with a very small and easily concealed tool. I keep a cable lock on-hand at OlyBikes to demonstrate this for customers, so they make a more informed decision before buying. We always encourage cyclists to use U-locks instead. They are far more secure than cables (with chains being somewhere in the middle). All it takes is doing a better job than the next person, and your bike will remain while the other one will be stolen. Many cyclists cheap-out and buy cable locks, which really sets them up for disappointment later on. The two most common rationalizations are: "u-locks are expensive," and "my bike doesn't look fancy, so nobody will steal it." Let me pick apart (ha!) each of those arguments.

U-locks are Expensive: It is true that u-locks generally cost more than cable locks, but what about the cost of losing your bike? You have to factor that in, because it is a distinct possibility. Furthermore, the sheer heartache of discovering your bike is gone is a major bummer, and one that is easily avoided. Most folks are pretty fond of their bikes, and make an effort to try and find them if stolen (see below). I am willing to bet that the average victim of bike theft will spend upwards of eight hours dealing with a theft and trying to recover their bike. Even valued at a lowly $6 per hour, that's more than the cost of a decent u-lock. I don't mean to be cruel, but we could ALL go without a couple of beverages (coffee, beer or whatever) or a pack of smokes (yes, a lot of cyclists smoke -- particularly the younger set it seems), and easily pay for the difference between a cable lock and a u-lock. So being that a $50 u-lock can make the difference between losing your bike and keeping it, whereas a $25 cable lock is nearly useless in preventing theft (therefore figure in recovery time, heartache and possible bike replacement costs), the u-lock really is the bargain of the two.

My Bike Isn't a Target For Theft Because it Isn't Fancy
Ah, naivete! Actually, I am secretly encouraged by this rationale, despite it being dead wrong. It tells me that the customer is in the happy position of being sane and not being addicted to drugs! I believe that many bike thefts are committed by drug addicts, and from what little I understand about addiction, logic and sanity tend to go out the window, or at least are subordinated to satisfying the addiction. Therefore, using a frame of reference that does not apply to this situation is wrong. In fact, even a bike that looks like "a total piece" is a target for theft for a drug addict. Hell, anything that isn't nailed down and might be convertible into money and then drugs is a target for theft. And, hey, most things one can easily steal aren't also  the getaway vehicle too so maybe bikes are especially attractive theft targets. Either way, don't apply the false logic that cheap or old bikes wont be stolen, because they routinely are.

There is actually a combination of the two above rationales that goes like this: my bike was cheap, so buying a lock that costs 50% or more of what I got the bike for doesn't make sense. WHAT?!! What one's bike cost has absolutely no bearing on what an adequate bike lock costs. Separate the two in your mind. You'll still be bummed out at having your humble ride stolen, will still spend hours dealing with it (or at least thinking about it), and you'll still have to get another bike.

An Ounce of Prevention
So, you go and get a u-lock. Hooray! All your problems solved? Nope. You have to use it properly, and do so every time you park it. A friend who routinely used a u-lock, but one day, they went to a store where they thought there was a low risk of theft, so they used a cable lock. Bam, bike gone and the cyclist was out ~$1200. Speaking of friends, I have a mantra I like to repeat, especially to younger customers , "Keep your bike, keep your friends, don't lend your bike to your friends." Everyone wants to be nice and easygoing with their friends. The thing is, too often friends simply do not take as good care of your stuff as they would their stuff. It's just human nature. If you lend your bike to someone and it is damaged or stolen, guess what, it's either not very likely that they'll take full responsibility for paying for it, or at the very least, it will strain your friendship more than not lending it to them in the first place. If you do lend it, make sure you lend them a u-lock as well and ask them to commit to using it every time they are not riding the bike and also to pay for any damage to the bike while they are borrowing it (can you tell I see problems like this all the time?).

Out in the world, be sure to lock your bike in a well-lit, well-traveled area. Don't try to hide your bike from thieves. You're only hiding the thief from everyone else when they try to steal it. I love our downtown, but do not leave your bike there overnight, and do not even leave your bike at the transit station at night (it is notorious for bike theft). Address any and all parts of the bike that have quick releases, such as wheels, seat/seatpost, lights, computers, etc. If it is quick and easy for you to remove, it also is for the bad guys. I think most commute bikes should not have quick releases for seatpost height adjustment -- it's not like your legs routinely change length! You can replace such items with either "binder collars" or special "security binders". For instance, we sell a pack of three security binders that essentially lock the wheels and seatpost to your bike, allowing you to use the smallest, lightest, most portable u-lock to secure just the frame to a bike rack. It comes with a key so you or your mechanic can remove those items if needed (e.g. to fix a flat). Convenient! Alternately, you can use a cable in addition to a u-lock to secure one or both wheels, though doing so is not as secure as a u-lock or security binders.

An exception to the "don't hide your bike" advice is to not leave your bike outside at home, whether unlocked or locked. Thieves case houses, and will walk or drive along streets and alleyways noting what they might easily pick up. When they notice your bike is leaning against the house or the garage is left open or a door unlocked is when a theft will occur. If you have housemates, make sure they are closing and locking doors and windows consistently.

Check to make sure that the object you are locking to is very solid and firmly attached to the ground! Locking your bike to a wooden railing? The railing will get cut (hell, I've seen one bike get cut to get at a second bike that was locked to it!). Many folks lock bikes to square signposts (the ones with a bunch of holes in them for mounting signs to). These post are held into sockets in the ground by a nut and bolt, which means they are easy for thieves to remove and steal your bike. In fact, sometimes thieves prepare these posts by removing the bolt/nut beforehand making the theft extra fast. We call these "sucker poles" -- don't be a sucker! The best objects to use are ones that are cemented to the ground, not just bolted, and that have closed loops in them that you can put your bike lock through so it is trapped properly. Put a large enough lock around a signpost or parking meter and a thief can just lift your bike over it and take it. It happens! The same goes for the bike -- the lock has to go "through a loop" of the frame. I once "abducted" a customer's bike because they had only put their u-lock around their seatpost. I released the seatpost and took it and the bike into my shop, called the customer and informed them their bike was safe in the shop. Good thing too -- they had left town for the weekend!

Take a good quality picture of your bike with all of its accessories, keep a copy of the sales receipt for all these items, and a description of the make, model, size, color and serial number of the bike. Many times, that information is on the receipt itself. If not, you can find your bike's serial number on the frame. The most common location for the serial number is on the underside of the crank bearing, also known as the "bottom bracket" -- the lowest point on the frame. In many towns and cities, you can actually pre-register your bike (and any valuables) with the police for free. Just bring the above information to them. They will enter it into a database, and in the event of a theft you report (see below), they will put the information on a national database of stolen goods. If the bike is recovered anywhere in the country it will get back to you. So far four customer recovered their bikes this way. Register your bike now, so in case "the dog eats your homework" the police will already have the information they need. You don't have a time machine, so do it now while it is easy.

So, Your Bike Got Stolen
The reason I am writing this is that in my inbox this morning was a flyer someone emailed me about their stolen bike. It made me wonder if their bike was locked up (and if so, with what kind of lock)? They made a good flyer -- nice picture of the bike with all the accessories, a good description including the serial number. Be sure and report a bike theft to the police. Your chances of recovering a stolen bike are not very good (so always use a u-lock and prevent theft in the first place), but they are even lower if the theft is not reported! You can ask local bike shops to keep an eye out for your stolen bike, but few places buy bikes. You'd probably have a better chance monitoring Craigslist in your region -- not just your city/town. Heck, one customer recently recovered his girlfriend's bike just by traveling to all the parking lots and locations downtown where people were clustered. I don't know why the person who had her bike didn't think anything might be fishy when they bought it for $10 from "some guy", but the good news is the bike was recovered. The lesson in that case was act fast -- time is of the essence. Also, tell your friends to look out for your bike and give them the deets -- it's like having an army of clones (ahh!) helping you. One time, while test riding a bike he had worked on, an employee came running into the shop, grabbed his u-lock and put it around a friend's bike that he knew to be stolen. He left a note to that effect on the bike and suggested the possessor remove their lock or face the police. Wouldn't you know, the other lock was gone in short order and the bike was recovered.

You can't rely on such instances of luck -- you have to set yourself up for success. Your bike is well worth the investment of a decent u-lock and consistent use of smart practices when parking it.

For years, the only off-street bike trail serving the urbanized area in Thurston County was the I-5 Bike Path. It was a start, but an odd one, with awkward transitions and the occasional steep grade. Additionally, the western trail terminus/trailhead was in an isolated neighborhood that was hard to find and describe to cyclists. Recently, however, our friends at the Woodland Trail Greenway Association scored a victory by getting the I-5 Bike Path extended to Jefferson Street as part of the new Department of Information Systems building. This greatly improves visibility of the trail, as well as safety, and also provides a good connection to the capitol campus for the many workers and visitors who go there by bike or by foot. The new trailhead and park officially open tomorrow. Join them if you can, and visit the trailhead sometime soon if you can't.

Capitol Gateway Park Celebration
(northeast corner of Jefferson and 14^th Streets)

Tuesday October 18th

12:15 – 12:45 pm

 

Senator Karen Fraser and Jack Horton, President of the Woodland Trail Greenway Association will host the recognition of partners and help us celebrate a new connection to our region’s bike and walking trails, a beautiful gateway addition to the Capitol Campus, and partnerships for energy-saving commuting options.

Wear your walking shoes, and bring an umbrella in case of rain.

The Bicycle Alliance of Washington (BAW) is our statewide bike advocacy organization. It helps protect cyclists' rights and works proactively to educate drivers and law enforcement. Its accomplishments are many, as are its members. BAW is offering new memberships for just $5 for a limited time. See their announcement below, and tell 'em OlyBikes sent ya!

 

As of July 1st 2011, a Discover Pass is required on all state recreation lands, including Capitol Forest. Costs are $10 per vehicle for a day-use pass, or $30 per vehicle per year. In addition, DNR is will be awarding passes to volunteers who participate in trail work parties. For more information, or to purchase the pass, call 1-866-320-9933, or visit www.discoverpass.wa.gov, or inquire at your local outdoors store. The penalty for not displaying a Discover Pass is $99, so be sure to get one and put it on your dash board!

Wow, this is a significant step for Thurston County -- a design open house for the Bridging the Gap Project to join the northern and souther sections of the Chehalis-Western Trail. The "Gap" used to span from north of Martin Way to south of Pacific Avenue. Now, that's not a long distance, but it contains the busiest roads in the entire County, including I-5. Try going around it and you have to detour on major arterials. Not very fun or safe, which is why so few people do it. Over the years, thanks to the hard work of local advocates and progressive elected officials (notably Sandra Romero, Brian Baird, Pete Kmet) and staff, we've built two of the three bridges (over Martin and I-5) to close the gap. Only Pacific remains. [continues below graphic]

 

From conversations with staff, it it anticipated that construction will take about a year from ground breaking. A ground breaking date has not yet been set. But before you break ground, you need a design, and an Open House to get feedback on the design is an important step in this process. We hope you'll make it to the meeting. For more information, contact:

Dale Rancour, County Engineer

360-786-5134

rancoud@co.thurston.wa.us

From our friends at        Action Alert

Please help us move two important bike bills forward by taking the following actions today:
 
SHB 1217, our 20 mph bill (aka Local Authority Speed Limit), had a hearing in the Senate Transportation Committee and now awaits a committee vote.  If your Senator sits on the Senate Transportation Committee, please contact them today and ask that they vote “Yea” and on this bill and move it to the Senate floor.  If you live in Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen's (committee chair) district, please thank her for her efforts on behalf of this bill.
    
HB 1129, the Traffic School bill, waits a Senate floor vote which could happen any day.  Please contact your Senator right away and ask they vote “Yea.”    It already passed the House 92-0.  Go here  http://apps.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/Default.aspx    to get your Senator’s contact information.

Be sure to check our blog and the Legislative Page on our website for more details about these bills and our other legislative priorities.
 
Thanks for taking action!

Capitol Forest has lots of great riding. For cross county riding, it arguably does not get any better than the loop of 8-50-6 out of Fall Creek Trailhead. It's a smile-maker for sure. Total ride length is about 10 miles, great for a beginner or a quick spin for more experienced riders. Plus there are options to extend it (see below).

This ride starts and ends at the Fall Creek Trailhead, accessible from Delphi Road on the Westside of Olympia. Note on C-6000, that you'll pass the Fall Creek Campground first and then reach the Fall Creek Trailhead.

 

Note that heading out of the trailhead, you're actually on Trail 6, so don't forget to turn left onto Trail 8 at the 4-way intersection. Otherwise you'll climb up 6, which is decidedly less fun and way more challenging -- "Feel lucky, punk?Do ya?".

Trail 8 offers a pretty consistent climb that is not very technically challenging -- very doable on a rigid bike as an out-and-back to Trail 50, BTW. You'll enjoy various sections, some with tree cover, some not, some twisty hairpins, some flowy, loamy stuff near creeks. It's pretty varied, but generally very doable even for first-timers with breaks to catch one's breath.

The junction of 8 and 50 is odd in that you "go straight" to get on Trail 50, whereas 8 continues with a sharp left towards Wedekind (see "Wedekind Options" below). The map doesn't provide such on-the-ground resolution, so it bears mentioning. Trail 50 itself is a welcome change with a much easier grade and faster speeds.

Turning right/downhill at the intersection of Trail 6, you start to head back to Fall Creek. Trail 6 is almost all descending (except for right after the bridge over the West fork of Fall Creek -- pour it on to clear that short hill). Trail 6 has some technical sections, root drops, reasonable jumps for the vertically challenged and berms aplenty. Much of that fun stuff is due to the very fine work of Friends of Capitol Forest (FOCF) an organization that gives a lot of time and energy to make sure we have great riding locally. They deserve your support. Consider volunteering at their work parties or making a donation to them. There are a couple T-intersections on Trail 6 as you approach Fall Creek. Just go straight to get back to the trailhead. Otherwise you'll wind up in the Fall Creek Campground, which you passed when driving to the trailhead.

 

 

Put Another Quarter in That!
For a longer ride, at the junction of 8 and 50, instead of taking 50 right away, you can take Trail 8 to Wedekind (the sharp left mentioned above) as an out-and-back leg and then continue onto 50 and 6. Alternately, for an even longer ride, you can pick up Trail 30 and then Trail 6 at Wedekind, and bike up to Capitol Peak (blowing off Trail 50 altogether), but be aware that it will double the length of the ride and involve a lot more climbing (but more descending too). Either way, you'll ride across a modular fiberglass bridge that FOCF volunteers built.

Share the Trail
Please be aware that these are shared trails and you may encounter other cyclists, hikers and equestrians. Do your part to share the trails. At a minimum, let folks know if there are other riders in your group behind you. Additionally, it is advisable to talk to equestrians and ask them how they'd prefer to proceed -- to have you pass them or have them pass you, whether they'd like you to dismount, etc. It is often a good idea to talk to the horses, as they are familiar with the sound of human voices and which helps them realize you are not a dangerous predator. Be an ambassador for trail riding. Have fun.

There is no better way to show your love and appreciation of our trails, be they paved, gravel or dirt, then by helping to work on them. The Woodland Trail Greenway Association has a number of small work parties at 9AM this Saturday and a celebration at noon as well:

Olympia: Put mulch mats on our newly-planted trees at the Fones Road Crossing of the Woodland Trail.  Contact Jack Horton (360)789-0944.

Lacey: Invasive species removal at Woodland Creek Community Park at the east end of the Woodland Trail. Contact Lori Flemm (360)701-6814.

Thurston County: Invasive species removal at the Chambers Lake Trailhead of the Chehalis Western Trail. Contact Kerry Hibdon at (360)867-2181.

Celebration at NOON: Wrap-up at the "T" intersection between the Woodland Trails and the Chehalis Western Trail for light snacks and a celebration.

  Enjoy the trails: ride your bike or longboard; skate or walk.  Just get to the intersection of the Woodland Trails and the Chehalis Western Trail by Noon! If you are not familiar with this location, call Jack Horton (360)789-0944 for directions.

Alternately, if you prefer off-road trail work, volunteer with Friends of Capitol Forest to make new sanctioned trails, and repair storm-damaged ones; FOCF will soon be building a bridge out of modular parts volunteers carry in -- cool! Drop them an email if you'd like to help out.

Thanks to all the volunteers out there. Happy National Trails Day!